Election arrests signal lack of democratic rights in Papua

At
the end of July 2014, there were at least 69 political
prisoners in Papuan jails.

The number of political
prisoners decreased this month following the release of 17
prisoners in three separate cases: the Third Papua Congress
case, 26 November arrests and Nabire civilian accused as OPM
case. 16 of these 17 releases were due to a completion of
prison sentences. Meanwhile, there were at least 70
political arrests this month, the highest recorded number so
far this year. These arrests included the mass arrest of 25
people in Timika at a peaceful demonstration, including at
least five women and four children aged one to two years.
Most people arrested this month faced ill-treatment on
arrest or in detention. Bilim Wenda, one of the 25
demonstrators in Timika, faced torture and cruel and
degrading treatment in detention.

Many of the arrests
related to the recent Presidential Elections on 9 July 2014.
At least 36 political arrests were related to peaceful calls
for an election boycott by Papuan activists, following
peaceful demonstrations and distributing of flyers. The
freedom to not participate in a democratic process, or to
campaign for a boycott, is an undeniable element of
democratic freedoms. The criminalisation of these actions in
Papua has also been documented by Papuans Behind Bars in
relation to elections in 2004 and 2009.

The arrest and
subsequent release of six people in relation to internal
disagreements between students and authorities at
Cenderawasih University (Universitas Cenderawasih, UNCEN)
were the latest development in a deteriorating situation
which began in mid-2012. There has been a move towards
greater involvement of police and other security forces in
response to student organising and demonstrations relating
to human rights, democratic freedoms and internal campus
issues. This has been accompanied by a decrease in the
university’s role in effectively protecting students and
their rights to free expression and assembly.

An incident
at Youtefa market in Jayapura on 2 July triggered by the
murder of a police officer who demanded bribes resulted in
the killing of three men by security forces and a number of
arrests. The reported involvement of non-Papuan immigrants
in the arbitrary arrest, public torture and beatings of
indigenous highlanders – at the invitation of police –
is an alarming development. This incident, involving
excessive use of force, unprocedural use of firearms and
extrajudicial killings as collective punishment of
indigenous Papuans represents a serious indictment of police
conduct in Papua. It also demonstrates that at the local
level, Indonesia’s ongoing climate of impunity is being
extended by security forces to further groups whom they view
as allies.

Arrests

Scores of activists arrested for
peaceful boycott of 9 July Presidential elections

At least
36 people were arrested in Jayapura, Timika, Fak-Fak and
Wamena during July 2014 for their peaceful involvement in
calling for a boycott of the Indonesian Presidential
Elections on 9 July. Local human rights activists reported
that Papuans in these areas faced intimidation from police
who attempted to force them to vote in the elections.

Jayapura

On 3 July, six activists from the West Papua
National Committee (Komite Nasional Papua Barat, KNPB) were
arrested in front of the campus of Cenderawasih University
(Universitas Cenderawasih, UNCEN) for giving out flyers
calling for an election boycott. The six men – Ono
Balingga, Hakul Kobak, Yandri Heselo, Gesman Tabuni, Ronal
Wenda and another unnamed man – were beaten on arrest and
interrogated at Jayapura Regional police station. They have
since been released without charge.

Timika

On 4 July,
seven KNPB members were arrested for distributing flyers
calling for an election boycott. The seven men – Ruben
Kayun, Deky Akum, Kaitanus Siminak, Apollos Simare,
Yanuarius Enakat, Gerson Banam and Anthon Damkokor – were
arrested by military officers before being handed over to
Timika Regional police. With the exception of Kayun, all
were released without charge after a few hours in detention.
The KNPB reported that Kayun was initially charged with
Article 160 for incitement but was later released on 16
July. It is not clear whether the charges have been dropped
or not. Testimony from Kayun about his time in detention
states that he faced ill-treatment from Timika police. Upon
release police also followed him back to his house where
they took pictures of his home in a bid to intimidate
him.

Fak-Fak

On 5 July, Mama Umi Safisa was arrested by
police for distributing flyers calling for a boycott of the
9 July elections. KNPB members gathered outside Kaimana
Regional police station where Mama Safisa was detained and
attempted to negotiate for her release, however they were
forcibly dispersed by police. KNPB Kaimana leader Ruben
Furay, who was amongst those protesting against her
detention, was reportedly beaten by police.

Wamena

A
report received via email from local activists reported a
total number of 22 boycott related arrests, with nine people
remaining in detention. On 9 July, 18 people were arrested
in Wamena for their involvement in the distribution of
flyers calling for an election boycott. Out of the 18 people
arrested, 13 have already been released from Jayawijaya
Regional police station. The five still detained are
reported to be Yosep Siep, Ibrahim Marian, Marsel Marian,
Yance Walilo and Yosasam Serabut. On 14 July, a further four
people were arrested by security forces, reportedly because
they chose not to vote in the Presidential Elections. The
four men – Sudi Wetipo, Elius Elosak, Domi Wetipo and Agus
Doga – are reportedly still in detention at Jayawijaya
Regional police station.

Yahukimo

A report received from
a human rights investigator described harassment and threats
against village leaders in villages Tomon I and Tomon II in
Yahukimo to submit votes on behalf of their communities,
despite the decision taken by both communities to boycott
the elections.Three arrested following Kampung Berab
raid in Jayapura

A report received from a local human
rights investigator reported the arbitrary arrest of three
men following a raid in Kampung Berab in Jayapura. On 20
July at around 13:00 Papua time, Mobile Brigades (Brigade
Mobil, Brimob) and Papua regional police (Kepolisian Daerah
Papua, Polda Papua) raided two houses in Kampung Berab
belonging to two men, Z Tarko and Elim Berab. According to
an interview with the aforementioned human rights
investigator, Berab stated that Jayapura police had
conducted the raid in response to information they received
about alleged armed pro-independence camps belonging to
David Tarko and Terianus Satto in the village, and a
forthcoming inauguration ceremony there on 22 July.

During
the raid on the home of Z Tarko, security forces ransacked
the house, destroying much of the furniture. Three
motorcycles parked outside the house were destroyed using
stones and long wooden planks. A cash total of IDR 7 million
as well as rice and sago were also seized from the house.
While this took place, security forces also conducted a raid
on the home of Elim Barab, a former principle of the local
primary school. At around 17:00, Brimob officers returned to
the home of Z Tarko, surrounding it and firing three warning
shots.

After the raid, police then conducted a sweeping on
the Demta-Sarmi road, stopping a local bus and arbitrarily
arresting three indigenous Papuans – Jekeer Kalaka, Jhon
Abolka and Yosepus Taplo. Kalaka and Abolka are workers at a
local palm oil plantation owned by Sinar Mas. The men were
detained for four days at Jayapura Regional police station
and released on 24 July. The three men were reportedly
targeted because they come from the Papuan highlands, where
pro-independence sentiment is strong according to security
forces. Following the arrests and raid, security forces
continued to keep a tight watch on the village, inspecting
the movements of the local community and conducting
stop-and-searches on local villagers.

25 people, including
women and children, arrested in Timika during referendum
demo

According to various news sources as well as reports
received from local activists, on 17 July 2014, a joint
police and military force conducted mass arrests of at least
24 people in Timika. While earlier reports indicate that 24
people were arrested, a detailed report published by local
news site Umagi News stated that 25 people were arrested,
including five women and four young children. They were
arrested during a peaceful demonstration demanding a
referendum for West Papua. All those detained were released
several hours later with the exception of the Head of KNPB
Timika Sector SP 13, Leson Tabuni, who was released several
days later on 23 July.

According to the
reports, at around 09:00 Papua time, security forces began
to forcibly disperse the demonstration and seized
demonstrators’ banners, megaphones and personal items such
as handphones and wallets. Upon arresting the 25 people, not
all of whom were directly involved in the demonstration, the
crowd were brought to Timika Regional police station
32.

According to the testimony of those arrested, as
published on Umagi News, several people were severely beaten
on arrest using rifle butts as well as being punched and
kicked. 23-year-old Amerina Tabuni stated that she had
reacted angrily during the arrests and threw a stone at a
police officer, prompting police to drag her across the
ground, hit her three times in the back with a rifle butt
and beat her across the face before arresting her. On
arrest, Bilim Wenda was hit in the testicles with a rifle
butt while Yandoa Tabuni was stomped on by several officers
wearing jackboots. Linto Kossay was hit in the head with a
rifle butt, suffered a bloody head wound, and was also hit
in the testicles. In detention at least one person, Bilim
Wenda, was reportedly tortured and subjected to cruel and
degrading treatment. Police cut off his dreadlocks and
threatened to cut off his genitals. He was also forced to
strip naked and alcohol was poured down his nose. At least
two other people also faced cruel and degrading treatment in
detention. Amerina Tabuni stated that in detention a police
officer wearing jackboots kicked her. The personal items of
the detainees, including handphones and wallets were seized
and not returned upon release.

The Head of KNPB Timika
Sector SP 13, Leson Tabuni, continued to be detained until
23 July while the other 24 detainees were released. Tabuni
described receiving threats and being severely beaten by
Timika Regional police while in detention. He is believed to
have been charged with incitement under Article 160 of the
Indonesian Criminal Code, although it is unclear whether he
is still facing the charge after his release.

Six arrested
at UNCEN

On 22 July, six people were arbitrarily arrested
by Jayapura District police at the request of the ex-Dean of
the Medical School at UNCEN, Paulina Watofa. According to
information from human rights lawyers at KontraS Papua, one
of those arrested was a secondary school student and was
therefore released shortly after his arrest. The five other
detainees were students from Cenderawasih
University.

Information provided by lawyers indicated that
the arrests followed student involvement in demonstrations
held on 8, 10, 11 and 19 July, calling for the Dean of the
Medical School to be replaced. The Dean was subsequently
replaced, and Watofa, the previous Dean, reported the
students to the police. Only one of the five arrested were
among the students named in Watofa’s complaint to the
police. There is reportedly no evidence linking the other
four students to the demonstrations. Two days prior to these
arrests, one of the students was beaten with a helmet by an
unidentified person on campus.

While in detention in
Jayapura District police station, the five UNCEN students
were not interrogated but were instead immediately
determined as suspects and forced to sign both an arrest
letter and another letter, the contents of which were
unknown to them. Human rights lawyers accompanying the five
students state that the letter may contain provisions
promising not to hold any further demonstrations on campus,
as happened during the arrest of UNCEN students last
November.

The following day an internal agreement was
reached between the police and Aloysius Giyai, the Head of
the Health Department of Papua Province (Kepala Dinas
Kesehatan Provinsi Papua), and the five students were
released. According to their lawyers, the students are still
at risk of being charged or re-arrested, particularly if
they attempt to demonstrate again.

Jayapura-based human
rights lawyer Gustaf Kawer has stated the intention of
lawyers to submit a request for a pretrial hearing against
the Head of Abepura District Police Officer, Kompol Decky
Hursepuny examining the arrests of the five students. He
criticised the arrests as
unprocedural.Releases

Jayapura five released

On 21
July, the Jayapura five – Forkorus Yaboisembut, August
Kraar, Dominikus Surabut, Selpius Bobii and Edison Waromi
– were released from Abepura prison after two years and
nine months in prison. August Kraar, erroneously reported in
our last update to have been released on 21 June 2014, was
instead released on 21 July. According to a human rights
worker, while Kraar had received an additional remission to
his sentence, he chose to be released at the same time as
the other four men.

The five men were arrested on 19
October 2011 for their involvement in the Third Papuan
Peoples’ Congress, where a political declaration about the
self-determination of the Papuan people was read out by
Yaboisembut and Waromi. The Congress had elected the two men
as political leaders of what was declared to be the West
Papuan Federal State (Negara Federal Republik Papua Barat).
Following the closing of the Congress, security forces
guarding the event fired shots, used tear gas and beat and
arrested hundreds of participants.

The Jayapura Five were
sentenced to three years imprisonment but were given a
remission of three months. Thousands of Papuans reportedly
joined a procession welcoming the release of the five Papuan
leaders. Upon release, Yaboisembut stated to local Papuan
press that the five men would continue to work towards
recognition of Papuan independence. Father Neles Tebay,
Rector of Fajar Timur School of Philosophy and Theology in
Abepura, told ucanews.com that the five men are at risk of
re-arrest, but that in his opinion, political arrests
“won’t solve the problem … the government of Indonesia
and representatives of Papuans must sit together in a
dialogue.

Remaining ten detainees in 26 November case
released

Information from local human rights lawyers
reported that the ten remaining detainees arrested in
relation to demonstrations on 26 November 2013 were released
on 25 July 2014. Pendius Tabuni, Muli Hisage, Karmil Murib,
Tomius Mul, Nius Lepi, Tinus Meage, Mathius Habel, Agus
Togoti, Natan Kogoya and Nikolai Waisal were released on
concluding their eight month prison sentences. They were
sentenced for violence against persons or property under
Articles 170 and 351 of the Indonesian Criminal Code.
Previously, on 11 February, 16-year-old Nikson Mul was
released. In April 2014, Penius Tabuni was released after
receiving a sentence of five months’ imprisonment.

All
12 detainees in this case were arbitrarily arrested in
connection to a demonstration on 26 November 2013 in
Jayapura which led to clashes between police and
demonstrators. All 12 men were engaged in other activities
at the time and were not involved in the demonstration.
Reports from local human rights workers state that they were
tortured while in detention at Jayapura Regional police
station. The men say that their police investigation reports
were fabricated.

Two in Sarmi treason case released on
bail

On 25 July, Edison Werimon and Soleman Fonataba were
released on bail. The two men are still facing trial for
conspiracy to commit treason under Articles 106 and 110 of
the Indonesian Criminal Code. The next hearing is expected
to be held on 6 August.

Otis Waropen
released

Information received from local researchers
reported the release of Otis Waropen from Nabire Regional
police station. It is unclear exactly when he was released,
however information received indicates that his release was
secured by a local tribe leader. Waropen was arrested on 2
March in Sima village under accusations of being a member of
the Free Papua Movement (Organisasi Papua Merdeka, OPM), a
pro-independence movement. He has since been released
without charge.

Release of the three detainees in Yapen
police death case

In our last update, we reported on the
removal of three detainees – Yahya Bonay, Astro Kaaba and
Hans Arrongear – from the list of political prisoners due
to not having received any information regarding the men for
more than a year. New information received from individuals
in Yapen confirmed that the three men have already been
released. The three men were arrested and believed to have
been tortured in connection with the murder of Brimob
officer Jefri Sesa.

Political trials and cases
overview

Clemency for Yalengga flag-raising prisoners
under final consideration at State Secretariat

The
Alliance for Democracy for Papua (Aliansi Demokrasi untuk
Papua, ALDP) reported that the Yalengga flag-raising case is
currently being considered at the Indonesian State
Secretariat (Sekretariat Negara Republik Indonesia, Setneg)
and must be monitored. The four detainees in this case –
Meki Elosak, Wiki Meaga, Oskar Hilago and Obed Kosay –
were tortured on arrest. They were on their way to the
funeral of a relative and were charged on the basis of
carrying a Morning Star flag with them on their journey. The
flag was intended to be put next to the deceased’s grave.
All four men are currently serving eight-year prison
sentences for treason under Article 106 of the Indonesian
Criminal Code.

Sasawa trial started end of July

The
trial for seven detainees in the Sasawa arrests case started
at the end of July. As reported on the ALDP website, Ida
Kelasin, one of the defence lawyers for the seven detainees,
stated they were in good health and that she hoped the trial
process would be carried out fairly without any political
intervention. Peneas Reri, one of the seven detainees, told
ALDP that their detention period had been extended to 15
August 2014. The seven men were tortured on arrest during a
military raid on Sasawa village targeting members of the
armed pro-independence movement, the West Papua National
Army (Tentara Nasional Papua Barat, TNPB).

Cases of
concern

Three killed and several arrested following murder
of police in Youtefa gambling den

On 2 July, three people
were killed and several arrested following a clash between
gamblers and two Jayapura police officers at an illegal
gambling den in Youtefa market in Jayapura. According to
information received from a local human rights investigator,
the gambling den was reportedly tolerated by police who
received bribes in exchange. An argument broke out between
the gamblers and two Jayapura police officers when they were
refused their usual bribe, which then quickly accelerated
into a physical fight. During the commotion, a gun was
stolen from one of the police officers by a gambler who then
escaped. The group of gamblers reportedly beat one of the
police officers to death and then ran away. The remaining
police officer shouted for help, prompting other police
officers and plainclothes Special Forces Command (Komando
Pasukan Khusus, Kopassus) officers to arrive at the scene
some time later. The report described the situation after to
be chaotic, with people running for cover as security forces
started firing shots.

Three people who were not involved
in the incident at the gambling den are believed to have
been killed in this incident. The report from the
aforementioned human rights investigator stated the deaths
of Sabuse Kabak and Yenias Wendibo, who were allegedly
killed by plainclothes officers.

Reports from Majalah
Selangkah and Tabloid Jubi confirmed the death of Demi Kepno
who was reportedly forced into a car with plainclothes
officers. He was allegedly taken to Yanmor police post in
Tanah Hitam, Abepura district, where he was interrogated.
Wendikbo attempted to escape, but was shot and then tortured
to death.

The bodies of the three victims are believed to
have been brought by security forces to Bhayangkara Hospital
where they were kept overnight before being returned to
their families. The family of Kabak have called on the
Jayapura police for accountability and for the perpetrator
to be taken to court.

The number of people arrested in
this incident remains unclear, however early reports and
interviews indicate that the total number could be in the
dozens. Some of those arrested are believed to still be
under investigation in detention at Jayapura Regional police
station. Papuans Behind Bars will continue to report on this
case when we receive more
information.

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